A communication device has a plurality of operation modes and a plurality of communication modes. The plurality of communication modes includes a first communication mode, in which a terminal station in a wireless network carries out communications via a control station, and a second communication mode, in which a plurality of terminal stations carry out communications with each other directly without an intervening control station. The communication device connects to at least one other communication device either in the first communication mode or the second communication mode, and switches an operation mode when a communication mode is switched.